Car-coupling



(NoModeL) v H. E. HAWK.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 280,748. P tented July 3, 1883.

Wit/262mm 22702 20/".

N PETERS, PMw-Limo n m, wnhingmn, nv c.

2 UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrc HALE E. HAIVK, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,743, dated July 3, 1883. I Application filed January 15, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALE E. HAWK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention has for its object anovel combination and arrangement of devices for adaptation to the draw-head and shackle of a car without necessitating a change in the construction of the latter, and which will act to elevate the bolt, self-couple, and also form a safety coupling when either shackle or bolt is broken and prevent the separation of any part of the train; and it consists, first, in the mechanism arranged upon the draw-head of a car, whereby the bolt is raised to admit the entrance and withdrawal of the shackle, second, the mechanism upon the draw-head which operates to elevate the bolt and also constitutes part of the safety-coupling; third, in a compound shackle and the devices for selfcoupling and retaining the same from retraction either above or below the draw-head.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the draw-head and safety coupling mechanism. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1, and showing also my improved shackle.

A represents a draw-head of a car; B, a coupling-bolt, arranged in the draw-head in the common and well-known manner.

0 is a lifting bar arranged transversely abovethe draw-head, of sufiicient width to pass in line with the bolt B, and is perforated mid way, as at i, to receive said bolt and raise the same from its seat in the draw-head. Liftingbar 0 is made to extend a sufficient distance from the sides of the draw-head to receive the vertical bolts D D, which are attached to the lifting-bar O, and held in place by the nut I) above the bar and washer abelow said bar.

G is a guide-box arranged transversely'beneath the draw-head, and attached thereto by an angle-iron, K, each end of said angle-iron passing through the upper plate of the guidebox G, and securing the respective parts by nuts d d to the draw-head.

I is a supporting-barattached to the guideboX, and also to the draw-head, giving in creased strength to the same for resisting the shock in coupling. I

L is a cross-bar attached to lifting-bolts D D.-

M isa shackle, and O a self-adjusting arm 011 the latter, having inclines n and r and catch q, and attached to shackle M by the vertical bar N.

In the construction of my coupling devices I arrange in atransverse relation to and above the draw-head, in line with the coupling-bolt B, a bar, 0, of sufficient length to project over the sides of the drawhead and perforate said bar at each end to receive the vertical liftinglevers D D, and centrally to receive the coupling-bolt B.

Beneath the draw-head, and attached transversely thereto by an angle-iron, K, which passes around said draw-head, is a guide-box, G, of a sufficient length to project beyond the sides of the draw-head, and is perforated above and below to receive the vertical lifting-bolts D D. The bolts D D, and also the couplingbolt B, are arranged to move connectedly with the bar 0, the nut b and washer a securing the bolts D D to the bar 0.

To each of the vertical lifting-levers D D, and in a transverse relation to and beneaththe draw-head, I attach a cross-bar, L, which bar may be removably attached to the lifting-levers, if desired.

To the common shackle M, by means of a vertical bar, N, I attach a self-adjusting arm, 0, parallel with the shackle, and secured thereto at the points 8 and t. The self-adjusting arm 0 is further constructed with raised or beveled ends a", incline n, and catch g, which act, respectively, to raise the shackle, elevate the coupling device,-and serve as a safety-coup ling in the event an injury to or a disability in the bolt or shackle to withstand the strain applied thereto should occur.

In combining my adjustable devices with the draw-head I obtainasafety-coupling which is peculiarly adapted to receive and be operated by the novel form of shackle. The selfadjustingarm O and the shackle M constitute a compound shackle which is applicable to other devices for self-coupling, as shown in an accompanying application.

In ope 'ating my devices, and in introducing the shackle provided with my seltadjust ing arm, the latter comes first in contact with the lower portion, k, of the guide-box G, the beveled end 1' upon the same having such an inclination that in all the variable heights of draw-bars it will impinge upon the inner portion, k, of said guide-box and throw said arm upward. The opening 0 in the draw-head and the portion 7a of the guide-box, when said de vices are applied, correspond in vertical measurement with that given from the upper surface of the shackle and the lower parallel sur face of the selfadjnsting-arm, and will permit the shackle to pass into the draw-head and the self-adjusting arm to ride inwardly upon the portion k of the guide-box arranged below. Upon the approach of the shackle and self-adjusting arm 0 to the coupling devices for a satiety-coupling, the incline it upon the upper portion of the arm and the beveled end 0' below the samc,when brought in contact with the cross-bar L, wedge and throw said bar upward, and elevate thereby the couplingbolt. The incline nupon the self-adjusting arm 0 is in oblique measurement equal to that required to elevate the bolt and admit the shackle within the draw-head in position for coupling, so that when the crossbar L drops into catch 9 in rear of said incline the coupling-bolt falls at the same moment to couple the shackle. To withdraw the shackle, the bolt is first raised by suitable devices attached to the top and sides of a car. In the application of my device to a freight or platform car the release of the bolt may be effected by slightly extending bar 0 to receive a device applicable to the purpose.

The self-adjusting arm I have preferred to arrange below the shackle for convenience in operating the same; but said devices may be arranged horizontally with the shackle and the coupling effected in the same plane with the shackle.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the draw-head of a car, a transversely-arranged perforated guidebox attached outwardly to and beneath said draw-head, and extending a suitable distance beyond the sides of the same to receive the lilting-bolts, which are attached to the couplingbolt, and relatively below said draw-head, to receive a suitable inclined device attached to and elevating the shackle to meet the opening in the draw-head, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the draw-head of a car provided exteriorly with a suitable guidebox arranged beneath and extending beyond the opposite sides of said draw-head, and oppositelyarranged lifting-bolts in said guidebox, which are connected with the couplingbolt, a transversely-arranged rod or bar connected with said lifting-bolts, and arranged within said guide-box and at a relative dis tance below said draw-head to admita suit ably-inclined device attached to the shackle passing between said bar and guide-box, and thereby elevating the coupling-bolt, substan tially as specified.

3. A safety-coupling fora car, consisting of an arm attached to and beneath the shackle by a suitable bar and provided with oppositely-inclined ends, and a catch arranged upon said bar and in rear of said inclines, for the purpose set forth.

at. In combination with the draw-head of a ear,having a suitable guide-box arranged upon and beneath the same, and a transversely-arranged bar within said guidebox, attached to 8 5 the lifting devices, which are connected with the coupling-bolt, a safety coupling device consisting of an arm attached to and beneath the shackle by a suitable bar and provided with oppositely-inclined ends, and a catch arranged upon said bar, for the purpose specified.

HALE E. HAXVK.

\Vitnesses Gno. R. THOMPSOX, F. M. HARRisoN. 

